Packing apparatus



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5 Sheets-Sheet l i dem Juy 16, 1935..

F. P. 1 WOOD PACKING .APPARATUS Filed Deo. 4, 1931 @Emmy H6, Jsi; p W00@ v PACKING APPARATUS 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 4, 195].

Juny zu@ 1935, F. P. WOOD PACKING ARATUs Filed Dec. 4, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 77T 6756025 7.7 @f www Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED i STATES,` rPAPI'ENT OFFICE v 2,008,054 v t f PACKING APPARATUS Frederick P. Wood, Adrian, Mich., assgnorto `SimplexPaper Corporation, Adrian, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan YApplication December 4, 1931, Serial No. 578,875

(i` Claims.

This invention'which relates to a packing apparatus is concerned particularly with a facing A'plate upon which is arranged a liner adaptedY to support a column oi-` fruit, vegetables, or the like, preliminary to the application of an upside llo down 4basket wherein the pack is to be made.

Among its advantages, my present apparatus is inexpensive, easy and expeditious to operate, and assures a satisfactory and uniform pack of the handled articles. In addition, the present improvements permit of self-adjustment of the liner in accordance with irregularities and variavtions in the shape and size of the basket wherein the pack is made, permit the use of a liner having a vrow ofl scallops along one edge, and generally simplifies' and facilitates the packing operation. These and other objects, some of which will` hereinafter appear, are attained by my.- invention of which certain embodiments are lsuggested in the accompanying drawings in the mannerfollowing:

/Fig'ure 1 is a perspective view of the facing plate forming part of 'my apparatus;

Fig. 24 shows in perspective a liner applied operatively. to the facing plate;

Fig;A 3 is a View in vertical section through the facingiplat'e, liner andsurrounding form, a single layerA of fruit, Vegetables'or the like being arranged upon the facing plate;

Fig'. lV yhich `isasimilar View `shows the co1- umnof fruit, Vegetables or Vthe like, built up to the top fof the liner, the formremoved, and an inverted basket'placed over the linerwto receive thepack;

Fig.` 5 shows in vertical-'section the righted basket containing the pack,Y the facing plate, indicatedlby'dotted lines, having' been removed therefrom; Y A

' Fig. 6 4is a fragmentary detail in section showing one side=of the facing plate and the base of the prong which is mounted thereon;

Fig. 7 is a View in plan of my improved liner having a scalloped edge;

Fig. 8 which is a view in section similar to Fig. `3 shows the scalloped edge liner of Fig. V'7, and an associated form, applied to :a facing plate of modiiied construction; A 'I Fig. y9 is a similar viewin perspective with the form removed; p .Y Fig. 1Q is a ViewV in plan of another form of lnelj enlarged detail in elevation showlocked inlvpla'ce; and

Fig. 12 is a View in vertical section through the locking prong applicable to the liner of Fig. 10. The main units of the present apparatus comprise a facing plate A upon which is arranged a liner B adapted to receive temporary external support from-a form C preliminary to application of a basket D wherein the pack is completed. The facing plate which is circular in form may be slightly concave to produce a crowned pack as is common practice. Adjacent the plate periphery is a drop wall l5 forming an annular shoulder beyondwhich extends affiange I6. Depending from the facing plate in the region of the shoulder is anv annular wall I1 forming a support for the plate when rested upon a table, bench or other plane surface. i

Combined with a facing plate of this general kind is a prong 20 upstanding adjacent the shoulder 15.1 The height to which such prong extends need only be suiiicient to interlock the free ends of a split liner along its lower edge. The prong at its base is extended outwardly and then upwardly to provide `a lip 2| which is spaced slightly from the prong. A convenient way of securing the prong to the facing plate is by a rivet 22 extended through the prong base and facing plate flange, as indicated best in Fig, 6. It may be noted, in passing, that two such prongs, disposed on opposite sides of the facing plate, may optionally be used to advantage in the manner to be presently explained.

The liner B, of which one form is shown in Fig. 2, may be produced conveniently from paper stock. It is of arcuate elongated shape (see Fig. 7), so that, when arranged about the facing plate, it will incline inwardly in cone fashion. In'the liner may be formed a number of holes 25 for Ventilating purposes, and additionally I provide two slots 26, preferably elongated in the direction of the liner length. One of the slots 26 may be positioned close to the liner end :c which is Vlappedr outermost, whereas theother slotk 26 is positioned remote #from the opposite and inwardly disposed liner end y. The two slots when brought in register may receive the prong 2D, as shown in Fig.'2, whereby the liner is held in place. 'No further securement of the liner is required in View of the simple andeffective lock provided, and of the extensionof the inner liner end for a substantial distance beyond this point of locking. If desired; the inner liner end may have its top corner cut off, as shown, to obviate inward bending of the paper sheet at this point.

The form C is'desira'bly made of sheet metal fic umn of articles interiorly of the liner, after ,Y

which it is withdrawn and replaced by an upside down basket which is later righted. After this last step, the facing plate with its attached prong, is removed, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5.

In the construction of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I have shown an exactly similar liner having-near its ends elongated slots 26 at unequal distances therefrom adapted to register when the liner' Iisplaced upon the ,facing plate.

In addition, theA liner under description has a further elongated slotV 3 5 substantially midway between the ,other two. Its longer edge, i.e., the edge which liesv proximate to the facing plate, ,is formed with scallops,v 36, the tabs thus producedbeing bendable, along a common, (base Vline 3,1 which is-desirably produced by scoring of the, material. The facing plate VAlwith Vwhich such a scallopedliner isus'edf'diifers slightly from the construction shown inFigs. 1 to f5` inclusive,

that it lacks an annular shoulder and peripheral flange, and also the depending `Wall support, and instead utilizes a plurality of legs 3,3 that are placed inwardly an appreciable dis,- tance from the periphery of the plate.V A prong 3,9 upstands from one side of the plate asdoes a second prong fill, preferably at the opposite side of the plate; ThisV latter prong may be relatively short and if desired mayV terminate in ,a head 4l, as shown best in Fig; 9. VI nall other respects the construction of the liner and facing plate is the same-as thatprevious1y described.

,In practice, the liner is applied around the vfacing plate with its scallops depending below the edges thereon The support afforded by the legs 33 permits `the scallopsY to lieA below the plate and inclinepinwardlmrif desired, as indi,- -cated inFigB.. In applying, the liner to the plate, itwill be found convenienttoy iirst position the slot over the short prong 40 whose head 4| resists V,removal therefromyfthe liner is rthereafter wrapped around so that the slots 26 near its-free ends may rbebrought. into register to lock,4 over the prong 39 in the manner alreadyV described. With thevliner so positioned,` and the scallops depending below the edge of the plate, the form is next applied following which` a column offruit, vegetables, or the like, is built up Vinteriorly `of the liner. After removal of Vthe, form, and substitution of fthe basket and inversion thereof, the facing plateris withdrawn permitting the scallops to Vbe turned in for an vattractive dressA around ther edgeV of the pack. By combining'sucha scalloped liner with .a plate Vof the (character noted, the scallops are positioned to lie above the completed` pack exactly the proper distance for iii-turning along the intended line of bend. l

A further exemplication of my invention is 'shown in FigslO, l1 and'l2 ,wherein-,the liner isY Gif-somewhat different construction. Here I have shown a s1ot:45 substantially-midway ofthe liner ends adjacent the longer `edge thereof adapted to viit over a ,positioning prong, the4 same as does the liner last described. Instead of openings near the liner ends adapted to register, as

in the case of the liners already described, I provide notches 46 extending transversely into the liner from the longer edge thereof, these notches, by preference, being tapered somewhat. Such a liner is adapted for use with a facing plate A having a prong 41, as indicated in Figs. 11 and 12. Combined with this prong is a button 48 including a tongue49 having a widened base, the tongue being positioned to the outside of the prong, spaced therefrom, and connected thereto bya rivet 50. The lower ends 5I and 52 respectively, of the prong and tongue may be out-turned to lie upon each other and upon the flange 53 of the facing plate to which they may be secured as by'a bolt 54'.

In locking the liner ends together, it is necessary merely that they be overlapped sufficiently for registration of the notches 46 whereupon they `are ready for, fastening to thebutton. This can be' accomplished expeditiously by insertion ofthe ngersinto adjacent centeringV holes 55` on op;- posite sides of the notches. The notches so being registered, the liner ends are receivable behind the widened tongue 49 and against the prongjl with the button entering into the notches. to se- .cure the liner ends tothe facing, plate.

In each of the constructions described, the liner Amay be fitted expeditiously tothe facing` plate whereon it is held with suiiicient security .to sus'- tain aj column ofv fruit, vegetables, or the like, during the interval between removal of the form and' `application of the invertedbasket. In settling of the pack, the liner endspare freetto slide within the basket to adjustfor irregularities or variations inthesize or form thereof, irrespective as tov whether or not the facingV plate beV removed. l rlfhis is due in part to the elongated or taperedicharacter of the slots or notches wherein the prongs engage, and more particularly,tc` the freedom of; movement always preserved. to the Y liner ends along itsV longer edge where the maxi;-

mumof movement, incidental to settling ,of the pack, may occur. Not only is the present-liner self-adjusting inthe manner explained, butno bending` orassembling of parts either. inthe stage of manufacture or subsequently, isrequired..

I claim: Y Y

Y 1. In a, packing apparatus, the vcombination of a facing plate about which may be fitted asplit liner,V having overlapping ends and having regeistering slots in the lowerportion; of the liner adjacent its two ends, and an upstanding, prong having its base affixed to'the-facingplate adjacent its edge adapted tov traverse the registering slots to connect thee-,liner endsftogether, the Vprong being extended upwardly toi a point substantially Vbeyond the registering slots whereby toconnect the liner ends ,when the liner is removed from contact with` the facing plate.

2. In a packing apparatus, the combination of a facing plate about which may be fitted a split liner having overlapping ends and having registering 'slots in the lower` portionof theliner near its opposite endsand a further slot intermediate of the liner ends, and upstanding prongs having their bases affixed tothe facing plate, adjacent its' edge, one adapted to traverse the intermediate slot and the other to traverse the' registering slots toconnectthe liner ends together.

3. In a'packing apparatus, the combination f a facing plate having a bottomsupport-.adaptd to `maintaintheperiphry of the platezatianzeleyation, the plate being adapted to,:,receive there;-

around a split liner having overlapped ends and bendable scallops formed along the bottom edge of the liner extending below the edge of the plate, there being registering closed slots near the liner ends, and an upstanding prong having its base all'lxed to the facing plate adapted to traverse the registering slots to connect the liner ends together, the prong being extended upwardly to a point substantially beyond the registering slots whereby to connect the liner ends when the liner is removed from contact with the facing plate.

4. In a packing apparatus, the combination of a facing plate around which maybe tted a split liner having overlapped ends and having registering slots near the liner ends and another slot intermediately of the liner ends, a prong upstanding from the facing plate adapted to traverse the registered slots to connect the liner ends together, and a secnd prong terminating in a head upstanding from an opposite side of the facing plate adapted to traverse the intermediate slot in the liner.

5. In a packing apparatus, a circular facing plate, two pointed prongs upstanding from the plate at spaced marginal points thereon, one prong being adapted for insertion through a positioning slot formed in a liner fitted around the facing plate and the other prong being adapted for insertion through registering slots in the overlapped end portions of the liner, the two prongs together acting to secure the liner accurately in place upon the facing plate.

6. In a packing apparatus, the combination of a facing plate and an associated open ended form having its Walls inclined in cone fashion adapted to furnish external support to a liner which is rested on the plate and against the inner side of the form, there being means extending inwardly from the upper smaller end of the form adapted to overlie the proximate edge of an enclosed liner for preventing upward movement of the liner beyond the end of the form.

FREDERICK P. WOOD. 

